Barbara Murray Dip SBA, is an Irish botanical artist based in Sligo on the wild Atlantic coast of West Ireland — a landscape rich in native flora that has shaped both her eye and her practice.

Recognised by the the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA), one of the world’s leading organisations for botanical painting, Barbara combines scientific observation with artistic sensitivity to create works that celebrate the natural world in precise, luminous detail.

Working primarily in watercolour on ultra smooth, hot pressed, acid free 300Gsm cotton paper that is age resistant. She paints mostly using transparent colours which gives a luminosity to her work.

Barbara paints directly from living and freshly gathered specimens, capturing the character of each subject through close observation of form, texture, and colour. Her work ranges from the native wildflowers of the Sligo countryside to cultivated garden specimens which are rendered with the meticulous care that botanical art demands. Her studio in Sligo, is a tranquil rural setting surrounded by the exceptional natural beauty of the West of Ireland. She enjoys gardening, walking in the countryside, listening to gentle classical music while painting and is a member of the Sligo Orpheus Choir.

Her paintings are held in private collections in Ireland and abroad, and she exhibits at regional shows such as the Boyle Arts Festival, Clare Galway Art Expo and selected art fairs.

Barbara is a member of the Irish Society of Botanical Artists (ISBA), the Society of Botanical Artists (SBA), London and the Botanical Art Society of Australia (BASA) contributing an essay on the Life, Times and Work of Pierre-Joseph Redoute to their quarterly newsletter.